The technology for transforming natural gas or coal into synthetic fuel was invented by Franz Fischer and Hans Trophsch in the 1920s. The Fischer-Tropsch process transforms gas derived from coal (or other substances) into liquid gas. The Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process is the best-known synthesis process and was used on a large scale in Germany during World War II. Other processes include the Bergius process, the Mobil process and the Karrick process. An intermediate step in the production of synthetic fuel is often syngas, a stoichiometric mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which is sometimes directly used as an industrial fuel.
The process of producing synfuels is often referred to as Coal-To-Liquids (CTL), Gas-To-Liquids (GTL) or Biomass-To-Liquids (BTL), depending on the initial feedstock. Synthetic crude may also be created by upgrading bitumen (a tar like substance found in tar sands), or synthesizing liquid hydrocarbons from oil shale and synthesis gas: a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.
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Swift Renewable Fuels
Welcome to the next generation of aviation fuels.In fact, this is the introduction of the first and only completely renewable fuel. The current fuel used in piston fired aircraft is 100 Low Lead (100LL). The United States and Europe have banned the use of tetraethyl lead (TEL) in motor fuels. TEL is needed to bring the octane number to 100 in aviation gasoline. There currently is a moratorium on this ban until 2010. Swift has this solution.
Unlike the current process of refining crude oil to arrive at a final fuel, we synthetically create hydrocarbons from bio-mass. This creation method is superior to the existing refining method because we maintain control over the entire process giving us the flexibility to meet or exceed current ASTM specifications.
The advantages of Swift Bio-Synthetic Fuel are:
- Seamless replacement of 100LL (no engine modifications)
- 15-25% increase in range over 100LL (no oxygenates)
- 20% drop in pollutants over the current 100LL fuel
- 15% more volumetric energy than 100LL
- No need for stabilizers or additives
